Severn Trent has deployed an
interactive voice messaging system from Qire to collect debts
in a more efficient manner.
Initially, the
IVM system will be used for managing domestic customer debt
collection and arrears with basic messages being automatically
issued to customers with outstanding payments.
The real-time reporting mechanisms of Qire's system will also
allow Severn Trent to analyse statistics from calls, enabling the
company to measure efficiency benefits quickly and accurately.
Russell Mackuin, debt strategy and controls manager at Severn
Trent, said, "Roll out and implementation have been seamless and it
is obvious when talking to Qire employees they really know what
they are doing in this space and how to genuinely help
businesses.
"Prior to using Qire, up to 50-60% of the time a call centre
agent would get through to someone other than the person
responsible for payment, using manual dial out processes or
predictive diallers, which can be incredibly hit or miss. Now,
through IVM, Severn Trent can filter out wrong party numbers before
the agent speaks to the party, making the agent more
efficient."
The Qire IVM system calls the customer and informs them it is a
Severn Trent call. It then asks if this is "Joe Bloggs", for
instance, and the interactive conversation continues from there. If
it is Joe Bloggs and he answers "Yes", he is put through to an
operator. If he answers "No", then a message is left asking Joe
Bloggs to call a number.
In the future, the system may be expanded to contact customers
during crises or times of problems, such as a water outage in a
given area.